This invention pertains to an intermediate rail, commonly known as a day/night rail to incorporate within a window shade apparatus having two separate phases.
There are many instances wherein one may desire different levels of opaqueness covering a window. For example, one may desire to have a window uncovered, or one may desire a sunshade which is translucent but functions to reduce the glare coming in the window. One may also desire to cover the window with a relatively opaque shade.
Additionally, one may desire to have shades with distinct appearances for other reasons as well. For example, one may desire to have alternate decorative appearances wherein one shade presents a one pattern and another presents a different pattern. One may desire to change the decor of a room by merely adjusting a shade, thereby eliminating the need for additional shades.
In response to these needs, a multi-level adjustable window shade has been developed. An example of such a window shade is shown in FIG. 1, labeled as prior art.
The prior art, as shown in FIG. 1, depicts an intermediate rail 60 that is adjustable; however, a user frequently encounters difficulty adjusting the intermediate rail. The intermediate rail is positioned between a first pleated shade 52 and a second pleated shade 54. The first shade 52 has aligned apertures 56 allowing a cord 58 to pass through. The first shade 52 is anchored at one end by an first rail 62 that is mounted to an upper surface of a window frame not shown. The second shade 54 is attached at one end to the intermediate rail 60 and an end rail 64.
Still referring to FIG. 1, the cords 58 emanate from the first rail 62 and pass through each of the first shade 52, the intermediate rail 60, the second shade 54, and the end rail 64. After passing through the end rail 64, the cords 58 are customarily anchored to the window frame 70, but they need not be so anchored.
The prior art configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, however, presented difficulty in adjustment of the intermediate rail. One attempt at easing the difficulty has been to place tabs protruding from the intermediate rail (this embodiment is not shown) in order to ease the adjustability of the intermediate rail.
The present invention is an intermediate rail to be adjustably inserted between two distinct shades in a window shade apparatus with at least two distinct pleated shades. The intermediate rail has a length substantially equal to the length of a window shade.
The intermediate rail has a substantially planar, rectangular back wall facing a window and a first front wall generally parallel to the back wall and extending over a portion of the back wall. A second front wall relatively coplanar with, and spaced apart from, the first front wall, thereby defines a gap between an edge of first front wall and an edge of the second front wall.
An upper wall joins the first front wall to the back wall, and an inner wall extends inwardly from the gap, wherein a finger recess is formed in a region bounded by edges of the gap and the inner wall.
In one embodiment of the invention, one end of the inner wall may adjoin the upper wall between the first front wall and the back wall and a second end which abuts the second front wall. Alternatively, the innerwall may have a generally quarter-circle configuration at planes perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rail. Additionally, the inner wall may be any curve having concavity facing the upper wall.
In another embodiment of the invention, the inner wall may have a first section extending generally orthogonally from the upper wall and a second section joining the first section to the second front wall. In this embodiment, the second section may be formed as curve with concavity facing the upper wall, a semi-circle, or a generally planar wall.
Either embodiment may have a lip extending along at least one of the edges that define the gap in the fingertip recess or trough. Preferably, the rail is formed as a monolithic, one piece metal or plastic structure
An end slat of a window shade is received within a channel formed by the first and second grooves along the upper wall. A single flange extends inwardly from an edge of the front wall and generally parallel to the upper wall to form a third groove between the inner wall and the single flange. A pair of parallel, inward facing flanges at an edge of the back wall form a fourth groove. A second channel is formed by a region bounded by the third and fourth grooves; an end slat of a window shade is received within the second channel.
This unique configuration of the intermediate rail eases the burden of raising and lowing the intermediate shade. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.